Petrova Blood
by SweetLove4Brucas
Summary: A Vampire Elena changed by Katherine seeks out the help of The Salvatore brothers to find out why she was changed, why Katherine was dead and who she really was. But what she least expected was to fall in love and have to risk everything for that love.
1. Chapter 1: Dear Diary

Dear Diary,

This will be my last entry. I need to tell my story. The full and compete story about what happened to me and to those whom I loved. I will start from the beginning and maybe I will finally heel from the pain my heart that I feel today, yesterday, for the past five years. It's hard losing yourself in someone and its even harder losing someone you loved. Life was not what I expected it to be and I can never go back to the way it was. I will forever be changed by events that I had no control over. That I was simply born into. Who said life was fair because its not. So I will start at the beginning when I finally went to Mystic Falls. I got enough courage to find them. Katherine told me they would be easy to find and they were. I just wished she could have been there with me. To smooth over the introduction. Give me insight into why I was looking for the brothers. I still didn't understand why she died, why she changed me. I still couldn't understand why she looked just like me. Seems Isobel wanted me to stay human. Too bad she wasn't able to stick around and help me figure out why these brothers were so detrimental to my existence. Why they had to be found and be protected. Isobel was running from something. The same something I think killed Katherine and was coming after the brothers. Katherine had centuries of experience with being a vampire. And she sent me out on a mission with just one.

I would still cry thinking about the family I had to leave behind to exist now in a world I barely understood. I was hoping somehow these brothers would give me some answers I'm seeking. I was hoping somehow these brothers, Damon and Stefan would help me adjust to this new life I'm leading. I felt lost. All I had was this ring Katherine left me to walk in the daylight and a book about my family history. I had nothing else not even my identity because up until my seventeenth birthday I had no idea I was adopted.

When I arrived to Mystic I checked into a motel and went out to search for them. I found them rather quickly asking around town about them. They were at a local grill and bar playing pool. I hid in the corner of the bar hoping to blend in but the older of the two seemed to feel me there. His eyes flickered upon my face to many times in that one moment that I saw them I had to get out of there. I chickened out. I kept thinking that maybe tomorrow would be a better day. Maybe tomorrow I would be able to face them.

It was the fifth of October and the leaves were falling around Mystic Falls leaving beautiful orange, yellow and brown trails on the ground. The woods outside of their mansion is where I had came everyday since I had arrived in Mystic and the woods were where I would escape to everyday when I get too scared to face them, chicken out and run like hell. I didn't know what it was about those two brothers. I have been able to approach people numerous times before. Before becoming a Vampire and now that I was one. But these boys were different. I felt like I had known them my whole life. Like they were a key to a missing piece of me. I felt a sort of pull toward them and I had an undeniable attraction to both of them as well.

It was getting late and I hated to be alone in the woods sharp vamp teeth or not. The weather was chilly. I didn't get cold but I wore a pea coat just to play the part. The lights were on in the mansion. I knew they were home. I could barely make out words from the distance I was standing. I had to be safe that they could not hear me either. Last thing I needed was them thinking I was some stalker.

The only thing in that moment I could think about was the older brothers eyes. His green eyes upon mine in the bar scorching hot burning right into the core of me. It wasn't so much that he caught me starring at them but that he knew who I was. Or what I was and in that moment he realized something as well. What? I'm not sure but I couldn't get his eyes out of my head. I had to know what it was. It was like an electric pull or connection that freaked me out I ran out of there with my tail between my legs. I never felt anything like that and it was just his eyes upon me for that moment.

And then it all happened so quickly. I heard footsteps and then a voice.

"Whose there", a calm voice came from behind me.

"We know you're out here. We can smell you. Hear you thinking in the dark". This voice was circling ahead of me. This voice was had a snaky tone to it.

"We have you surrounded. We don't want to harm you". The first voice said before the second one interrupted, "Don't say we Stefan say I. I don't mind hurting you" the voice echoed in the trees. Stefan was the calmer of the two voices. Damon had the more aggressive tone.

I was caught. If I didn't speak up now I would be killed by Damon Salvatore one of the two boys I was created to protect. I didn't come this far to die. I had to speak.

"Please don't hurt me. I'm Elena Gilbert. I was sent to find you two". The next second I felt a sharp point upon my heart and breath upon my face.

"Did you just say Gilbert?" Damon Salvatore breathed upon my face. I looked into his eyes. They smoldered into mine catching every inch of me on fire. How was I to breathe let alone answer him with the amount of heat circulating through out my body. Oh yeah the pointed object he had pressing against my heart. The reminder of that made the flame diminish very quickly. How strange how quickly I could make the flame inside of me die.

My voice so shaky it could sway the tress I mustered out "Yes Gilbert. Elena Gilbert. I was sent to find you two."

"By who" a voice chimed in behind me. Stefan Salvatore now clamped his hands upon mine bring them behind my back. His touch electrified me.

At first I didn't speak. I was too concerned by the electrocution and the burning inside of me. What was this power over me that these brothers possessed? It was starting to scare the crap out of me now and I was afraid Katherine had set me up for death.

Damon began pressing the sharp object deeper into my coat now ripping its fabric and piercing my t-shirt. Stefan's hand now hurting me no longer electrifying me was beginning to hurt like hell. I would die in two seconds if I didn't shout her name.

"Katherine". Immediately Stefan's hands released me and whatever Damon had pressed up against my skin was dropped to the floor. The next moment was a blur but I was very fastly picked up and airlifted it felt like into the mansion. At this point I was placed in a chair and so quickly tied to it I didn't have time to lift my head up before a hand electrified my face pulling my long dark hair out of it. Damon on his knees just inches from my face his eyes locking into mine. He stumbled back. Fire.

"No way." He muttered scrambling himself back up onto his feet. I lifted my head to the two brothers who stood in front of me dumb founded and confused.

"Why do you look like her?" Damon blurted out without hesitation.

"I don't know" was all I could reply. It was the truth.

Stefan now examining me more closely with squinted eyes asked, "how do you know Katherine."

I lifted my head and shook the remaining hair out of my face. "She is my great great great grandmother and she changed me."

"But you said your last name was Gilbert". Damon shot back at me.

Afraid to look in his eyes again I stared at Stefan instead. As long as he didn't touch me I could do this.

"Gilbert is my adopted name. My mothers name is Isobel. I met her two days after Katherine came to my house in the middle of the night and bit me. When I finally woke up changed and I was very confused thinking I was starring at myself dreaming she told me I was a vampire. That she was my grandmother and that I was adopted. She then said two names, yours along with a place I could find you Mystic Falls. She said it was very important to find you and protect you both. She said if I didn't I would be killed and so would you but together we stood a chance against them. She quickly left after that. Two days later still at home trying to sort out the nightmare that was now my life Isobel my mother told me Katherine was killed. I asked by whom, she didn't reply. I asked her why I looked like her she wouldn't tell me. All she said she could do was tell me she was my mother and that I had to leave immediately because they were coming. And just as quick as she came she left and so did I. I have been a runaway ever since."

The brothers stood before me with eyes amazed and a bit confused.

"You do know who the Gilberts are right?" Damon asked.

"They were my adopted parents. But they died two years earlier in a car crash. My aunt was caring for me".

What came next out of Stefan's mouth could have knocked me off my feet if I were standing.

"Elena, the Gilberts are founders of this town. They were the part of the reason Vampires were sought out, Katherine included. They tried to kill us."

"They did? My ancestors?" I asked confused.

Damon chuckled, "Your adopted ancestors. You are a Pierce. Well a Petrova actually."

"A Petrova?" I whispered.

Stefan began to untie my hands as he spoke gently to me trying to lay the truth on me more easily then Damon had been. "Katherine came to us stating to be Katherine Pierce. She changed us and abandoned us leaving both our hearts broken."

Confused I whispered, "you both were in love with her?"

Damon refused to even be a part of this conversation walking to the side table and pouring himself a drink.

"Yes we both were until Katherine came found us in New York about fifteen years ago trying to lie her way back into our hearts. She used us both once again making the two of us hate each other more than we had for centuries because of her.

I interrupted finally free of bondage "what did she want"? I asked.

Damon fluttered by my side holding his hand out to mine. I grabbed it and he lifted me up so that I was no longer sitting in the prisoners chair but standing with them as equals. I felt no fire when he touched me. It didn't work by touch only when I looked in his eyes. I was grateful for that. If I felt it then I would have fallen to my knees. "She wanted to get information on the founding families. We didn't ask questions we just gave it to her what we had. Some old books and objects we acquired over the years"

"What kind of information?" I asked as Damon handed me a glass full of gin. I quickly swallowed it. It helped kill the thirst if only for a moment.

"She wanted to know where the families had gone. The Gilbert's, your family had left Mystic a few years earlier. We knew where they were because we kept tabs on all of the founding families hoping one day we could go back to Mystic. Waiting for those who had seen us before to die off. Cant go around old people as yourself thirty years prior. You can say they are loosing their minds but people in Mystic are superstitious. They would begin digging and our cover would be blown. As a vampire you have to stay low key. But this is our home and we come here as often as we can."

I was so confused. Why I was I adopted by Gilbert's? Isobel was my mother who was clearly a vampire. What did she have to do with the Gilbert's and why did she give them to me?

"So why do you think I was adopted or given to my parents. Gilberts? A founding family when Isobel was clearly a vampire in my room?"

They both looked at each other. For once they didn't have the answers.

Stefan leaned against the edge of the couch staring at me with eyes so suspicious they could not lie. He had loved Katherine and the sight of me was killing him. Damon on the other hand seemed a bit more cool and relaxed. He was more accepting to the fact that I looked like her.

"I don't know why Elena. Katherine mentioned a relative named Isobel when she was here. Said one day we may meet her. She wanted us to clearly know she was a Petrova. But it seems to me that Isobel has some kind of link to your parents. Maybe you were a love child. An affair that went wrong?"

Immediately I became defensive, "no way. My father would never cheat on my mother. Especially with a vampire. How is that even possible?"

Damaon began to chuckle. He looked at Stefan who wore a big grin as well.

"What"? I demanded not liking that I was being laughed at.

"Vampire women cant have children Elena. Once a vamp you are done bearing kids. It's impossible. Isobel was a human when you were born and must have became a vampire after. You don't have any idea about Vampires do you?" Damon was grinning.

I shook my head innocently.

"So who is the daddy is the BIG question" Damon blurted out sarcastically. "Is he a Gilbert? Is he a Vampire now?"

"There are so many questions to be answered Elena. But for now we must trust you. I think if Katherine changed you and sent you here she did it for a reason. Now I don't trust her for many reasons." Stefan explained pain upon his face.

I quickly replied hoping to ease some pain "Well she is dead now so we cant really trust her anymore". Gosh I wish I didn't say that. The look upon their face was horrific. It was like somewhere between the shock of my face and my story they just didn't hear when I said that Isobel told me she had died. I immediately wanted to say those words again. This time a bit more sympathetic. Stefan's eyes were the saddest. Damon's just burned with fire.

"Well that's another story." Damon quietly said. "Stefan you want some gin"? He asked as his gaze followed his brother across the room.

Stefan began to walk up the stairs obviously getting out of our presence before he let his emotions take over. "No I think I'll have some blood". And he darted away and into his room quicker than I could blink my eyes.


	2. Chapter 2: Damon

I sat in the room that was now to be mine not being able to rest. This night had been full of so many revelations that my mind was working faster than it had ever worked in my entire life. The room was quite large. It was more decorated with a feminine touch. More so then the rest of the house. I wondered if this was a room their mother had once enjoyed when she was alive. I didn't know anything about their past. I was still sorting mine out. I'm sure that is why Damon gave this room to me. He had drove me back to the motel to gather my things explaining how I couldn't stay there and that he couldn't have me staying anywhere else but at the mansion. It wasn't safe for me. That I would be more safe with them.

There was a knock on the door and I immediately knew it was Damon.

"Come in" I said calmly not needing to shout for human ears to hear.

Damon walked in head brewing and spinning just like mine. He sat at the desk by the window and looked out upon the night. I sat on the bed my legs crossed starring at the back of his head. His hair was dark. A bit longer than Stefan's all around. He was thinner and taller than Stefan. He was definitely the darker and the more defiant of the two. I should have felt uncomfortable in his presence and I was but not in the way I should have been. I should have feared him but I didn't. There was a sort of pull to be near him. One I could not give into at the moment. Fighting the urge was so uncomfortable.

"We are connected somehow Elena. I can feel it. I knew it the first time I saw you in the bar. I just didn't know why or how".

I didn't say anything afraid of what I might say. He turned to me. I was looking past him not wanting to look into his eyes. He got up and walked over to the bed. He sat down and touched my chin. His hand was soft upon my face very gentle. He turned my chin so that I was facing his face. He then lifted it up so that our eyes could meet. At first he sat there starring trying to look into my eyes as I looked off into space avoiding his but I couldn't fight it anymore. The fire was all I desired at the moment and I gave in easier then I thought I could.

Next moment I wasn't there in the room. I was in another time and place. It was blurry but I could make out Damon and I holding hands. There was no one around and I could feel the love we shared. We kissed for only a moment before terror swept upon our faces. And then in less then a second the dream was gone and I was on fire starring into his eyes once again.

"What was that"? I asked confused breaking free of his hand looking away.

He looked at me confused. "What was what Elena?"

So he couldn't feel the fire nor did he see what I had seen. A vision of he and I closer then I thought we would ever be. In love and in danger?

"I thought I heard something. Sorry. I am just super cautious and frankly freaked out since I became a vampire."

He left the room quickly and returned within ten seconds carrying two bags of blood and two straws. He handed me one and sat back on the bed next to me with the other. We both ripped them open.

"Cheers". He lifted his bag to mine. I took a sip. It quenched a thirst so strong. Almost as strong as the fire that burned for Damon.

"Thank you." I smiled back to him. He finished his quicker than I did. Laying on his back now starring at the ceiling he began to answer questions that were brewing in my mind but that I did not ask.

"Stefan is upset that Katherine died. He was still in love with her." He confessed annoyed.

"He was?" I questioned trying to play off the fact that I already felt this from earlier.

"You couldn't tell? He huffed and puffed his way out of the room when we have bigger fish to fry. There is no time to mourn our dear Katherine. We need to know why she created you and sent you here and exactly who you really are".

There was a desire to ask him how he felt for Katherine. I had to think of a way to get my question out without sounding like a jealous teenager, "so you don't find the need to mourn for her"?

He laughed. And I liked the sound of it. "If you are asking if I still loved her the answer is no! The last time she showed up here she played our hearts and manipulated us. Turned us against each other trying to give her exactly what she wanted. It was a completion to us to win her heart. In the end she confessed her love for Stefan. That nearly killed me. I left for a few years came back and found Stefan alone. Katherine had left him about a week after I took off without word or reason. I laughed in his face but I saw no anger in him. He was defeated by her and I knew how it felt. So I had to mend him, for years and I thought he was ok until well you said she had died." His eyebrows lifted and a grin shaped upon his mouth. He was enjoying the fact she was dead.

"So you didn't need mending?" I asked curiously.

His grin quickly took the shape of a smirk. He rolled his eyes. "I left Elena. I didn't want to watch them make googley eyes at each other for centuries. Did I love her? Once upon a time I did but she took what little love I had left to give someone. The switch was turned off and I became the darker more bad ass brother if you haven't noticed. All thanks to Katherine. So how did dear old Kat die?"

I was stumped by the she took his love. What he had left to give. Did it mean he could not love? But the vision I just had said otherwise.

"Hello Elena?" He snapped his fingers. He was back inches from my face. I quickly looked down avoiding his eyes again.

"Isobel never told me. She said I would find out soon enough everything I needed to know but that I was to find you guys first."

He fell back onto the bed. "Damn that Isobel. Never really liked her."

"What? You knew my mother" I exclaimed with disbelief and utter annoyance that he didn't say something sooner.

"I turned her." He casually replied as if it meant nothing. As if he just didn't act like he had no clue who Isobel was earlier.

"What? You what? Why?" I was beginning to freak out and he could feel it.

"Whoa calm down Elena. Isobel asked me to turn her. She was so interested in her family history. In Vampire history. I met her one day at a bar. She knew what I was. How I have no clue but she flirted her way over to me and just like that paid for my services. Kind of like a call girl would."

I swallowed hard. He did not just make that comparison. He laughed.

"It's a joke Elena. I didn't even know who she was until she came back knocking on my door a few months later asking me to tell her everything I knew about Kat. This was around the time I left Stefan and Kat to live happily ever after. She told me her name was Isobel. Once Katherine told Stefan and I that if a Isobel came to us for help or anything she was Petrova. I didn't know what she wanted with Katherine. I figured she was a relative with business. Or maybe she wanted to take Kat out. I was actually hoping for that part. So I told her where she could find them and that was that."

"So she said nothing. You heard nothing about her after that?"

He shook his head, "not until you pranced in here saying she was your mom. I never even told Stefan about this. He has no idea who Isobel is and that I turned her. But I think he knows now."

"Well yeah he can hear us. Gosh what does this all mean? Ok timeline. Katherine comes to you fifteen years ago. I was three about then. She hangs out with you for a couple of years trying to get information. I'm now five. You leave, Isobel shows up around the same time you turn her and she retruns asking you about Kat. You come back a year later to find out that Kat left Stefan shortly after you left them. How long after you left did Isobel come to you wanting to be changed?"

"It was a week later."

I was on to something, "and how long did it last with Stefan and Katherine before she left?"

"It was about a month or so." Damon shook his head. "Catch me up here Elena".

"I was about five when Isobel came looking for you asking to turn her. I was with the Gilberts my parents still alive. Isobel went looking for Katherine most likely finding her happily with Stefan. Whatever Isobel told her sent her packing quick. Katherine goes missing for years and then shows up at my house and turns me on my seventeenth birthday. Two days later Isobel shows up with a daylight ring and instructions to follow Katherine's instructions stating she was dead. Katherine knew I was a Petrova. In fact she wasn't even shocked nor surprised when she saw me. I mean I look exactly like her Damon. She didn't even blink twice. She knew who I was or what I was when she came to turn me. Isobel told her."

Damon was now on his feet.

"I need to get Stefan". The door opened.

"I'm here. Caught up. On everything". He looked at Damon and put an emphasis on everything. I knew he meant changing Isobel and sending her their way.

"Isobel must have seen you. Must have seen you looked like Katherine. So she sought out to become a vampire. Why I'm not sure just yet. But she found Kat told her everything and then the plot thickens. I think we need to do some Petrova history searching. You said you brought a book right?"

I shook my head. I began to get up when Stefan was by my side reaching out his hand to help me up. I didn't need his hand but I knew what he was doing. He was trying to get under Damon's skin. Why I had no idea but I knew I would find out one way or another. But this time just like the time with Damon when I touched his hand I was no longer in that room with them. I was in an open field crying. Crying over Stefan Salvatore. For what reason I had no clue. All I knew was I loved him and the crying didn't stop but got louder and harder with each thought of him and just like that the dream slipped away and I was standing on my feet being electrocuted by Stefan's touch. I quickly let go of his hand. He noticed. I walked over to the book that I inherited from Katherine and opened it upon the table. Damon and Stefan were both at my side smothering me with the thoughts of love for them. I turned to the page that I knew started Katherine's history and the search for the truth began.


	3. Chapter 3: Blood bond

We sat there reading. Trying to find some type of sign or information that would lead us where we needed to go. All it left us with was six months of searching, more reading material and complete and total insanity.

Six months had passed and I was more in love with both brothers than the first day I met them. Both undeniably in love with me but never admitting it. It was as if we were a family now. The love for one another and the need and search for the truth binding us together in ways we could not imagine. The fire and electricity didn't subside but intensified everyday that I was near them.

We did not speak a word of our love for each other. We hid it from one another as if we didn't all know the truth. I masked mine with the need to protect them for reasons unknown. Just that Katherine told me I needed to. I knew I was weaker then them. It made no sense to me that I could protect them but the thought of protecting them made it easier for me to deal with the love I had for them fighting inside of me growing everyday.

Damon played it cool with his casual manner and constant bantering. He would tease me and Stefan to no end. I knew teasing Stefan for him was more of a bitter unresolved resentment he still felt towards him about Katherine. He would flirt with me and banter with me as much as possible to get Stefan annoyed. But his flirtations became more evident to me as love when Stefan would not be around and he still flirted or charmed me. He would stare into my eyes knowing just how uncomfortable it made me feel because my reactions made him feel something too.

Stefan on the other hand was more gentle and sweet. He was the calmer and more cautious of the two. He would make sure I had eaten and looked after me the way someone would take care of someone they cared for. He would get me flowers for my room or ask me I needed anything. He was a bit more cautious with his love for me but it was blossoming like friendship.

At first the love I felt for Stefan was all in that vision I had. That was all I had to hold onto. He was attractive but it was taking me longer to feel the intensity I felt towards Damon. I cared deeply for Stefan. We had a friendship so strong at this point Damon couldn't break it. He tried to make fun of us time and time again but we did not shake or shift but grew closer day by day. Through that friendship was an innocent love that grew. It was the sweetest love I had ever known.

The love I felt for Damon was instant. I felt it that night at the bar. One look into his eyes and I was on fire and the burning that I tried to fight off but didn't want to stop. There was yearning for him that I could not diminish no matter how hard I tried. I was passionately and madly in love with him and I wanted him. I wanted him everyday every second of the day. But what I couldn't give him was the truth about how I felt because of the love I felt for Stefan. How could I be in love with two different people, brothers to be exact at the same time but in such different ways?

Don't get me wrong there were times when Stefan would touch me and I would yearn for him as well but it took a touch from Stefan to make me yearn for him the way I yearned for Damon every moment of the day. But the guilt that my love for Stefan had upon my heart caused me to not give in to Damon. It was very tiring and very confusing. I wonder if this was how Katherine felt and how she finally made her choice with Stefan. Was it because Stefan was more gentle and obvious and Damon was harsher more uncontrollable? It must be the Petrova blood in me that boiled around these two. Petrova blood that drew me closer and pulled me in deeper into their world and chaos. I didn't want to be Katherine. I didn't want to hurt one by picking the other. I didn't even want to love them because she did. But it was the Petrova blood the same blood that ran through Katherine and myself that bonded me to them.

But what about Isobel. She had the Petrova blood as well. Why was she not more like me. In love with them both? Why could she stand to leave Damon after he changed her when the thought would cross my mind and literally pain me so badly I would have to find him look into his eyes for healing. Why was Isobel so different then Katherine and I? She had no connection to them. She felt nothing for them.

"Damon. Stefan." I shouted from my room.

They both came to me in a flash Damon first followed right by Stefan.

"What's wrong Elena"? Damon asked darting to my side pulling my hair off of my face. A favorite thing of his to do. He started doing this to tease Stefan but he did it when Stefan was not around and became and endearing habit of his.

"What do Katherine and I have in common"? They stared at me stupidly like I should know the answer to this question. "Guys hello"?

"Um you look just like her Elena"? Stefan answered.

"Exactly. So why didn't Isobel stay with you Damon after you changed her?" I asked finally realizing the truth had to come out.

"She was looking for Katherine". He muttered out confused.

"Why do I look like her? Why did she send me to you guys? Why did she change me? Why am I so connected to her and by being connected to her connected to you two? Petrova blood runs through all of us but Isobel had no connection to you two. She could care less about you Damon. Or you Stefan."

"Maybe the connection you have is not because of blood but because of". I interrupted Stefan right there. We were only hurting ourselves picking at a wound that would not heal until we admitted we were actually hurt.

"Stefan we know the connection. We can keep denying it but it is there and it has been there since day one. It is what made you come find me in the woods. What made you feel I was there. It was what Damon saw the moment he laid eyes upon me at the bar. It was what kept me holding back from approaching you in the first place scared to face this pull towards you. It is what kept Katherine coming back and running away every chance she got. The connection we have, the three of us or four of us. What I feel for you and what you feel for me is love. The same kind of love that existed when Katherine was all you both wanted. But this time around we know what that love can do so we have hidden our feelings from each other. We have sacrificed what is inside and chosen to neglect the growing connection because of the burden it imposed upon you both when you loved Katherine. That love is the connection to Katherine. The reason I look like her. The reason I love you. She and I are made of the same cloth." I began to tremble inside knowing the pain she caused them and the horrible things she did while she lived. "I'm just afraid I am her in every way. I don't want to be Katherine".

Stefan placed his hand upon mine. Electricity. I looked upon Damon's face tears streaking down mine. Fire. It was too much to bear. I had to get out of there. I got up quickly shoving them both away and ran for the nearest exit into the woods far away from the brothers whom I was doomed to repeat history with.

There in the woods I thought about Katherine. What she said to me. Did I miss anything? Did I hear her say something while I was changing that I couldn't understand because I was out of it. What did Isobel say? Nothing. She was worthless to me that night. Stefan didn't deserve to get his heart ripped out again. She left him once and then died on him with everything unresolved. And Damon she spent centuries making him think she would choose him and in the end she loved Stefan more banishing him from her life and in return losing the love of his and his brother. How could I hurt him when he already felt like he had no love to give. Like no one had ever truly loved him. But if Katherine felt one ounce the way I feel for Damon I knew that to be a lie. She loved him deeply.

Why do I look like her? Why am I connected to them? In love with them? Why do I feel like I'm her but my heart is Elena? I am not a murderer. I never killed a human for blood or carelessly killed for the thrill of it. I never used the men I loved to gain more then what I needed from them which was their love. I never ran from a life I wanted to live to only come back to it and leave again. I was not her. I was caring. I wouldn't hurt a dog and drink its blood. I was scared about everything. I still had my humanity inside of me reassuring that I was still who I had always been. I was not her. I had my own identity, personality. We were two different entitles crossed into one of something that I had no idea was.

The woods were growing darker. I knew they would worry about me soon and come looking. I had about twenty calls from them both that I ignored in my slumber. I raced back to the house the wind blowing in my hair. When I got inside Damon was sitting in the great room waiting for me. He looked angry.

"Where is Stefan"? I asked curiously.

He looked up at me eyes so deeply bothered I could feel more than fire looking into them. He was hurt.

"Stefan went to New York. He has a friend up there who knew Katherine. Had some insider info of sorts to share." Questions started brewing. Who was this friend and why was he just now going up to see her. Or him. Or her hoping it was a him.

I guess he could feel the contemplation going on in my head. "It's his bff Lexi. She and he stopped talking about um fifteen years ago when Katherine came back into our lives. She warned him he didn't listen so she distanced herself from him claiming she was poison and he was now toxic. She didn't like me very much either. She knew Kat from way before our time and she warned him constantly being too scared of her to really tell him why he should stay away. But now Kat is dead he figured hell why not go give it a shot. So when you made your claim of undying love for him he did what any man in love would do and go seek the truth out for his lady in waiting. So honorable Stefan is." He lifted the glass to his lips. He was drinking.

"Damon I'm sorry. I don't know what to say to you." He was at my side faster then I could say my next thought. He was starring deeply into my eyes. The burn starting to touch my skin going deeper to my bones. The very core of me. I quickly shut my eyes. He grabbed my hands tighly.

"What is it about me that when I look into your eyes you look away? You close them? You pretend to be reading. You avoid my eyes like they pain you to look into them. Matter of fact you avoid my glances so much I'm starting to think the sight of me makes you want to run into Steffys arms."

I looked down avoiding his face trying to plead with him that it was not true.

"Damon I care about you so much. You don't know what you are talking about. You are confused and everything that happened today". He interrupted.

"Look at me Elena". I closed my eyes tight. He shook me in his arms. "Look at me Elena. Please."

He was pleading with me.

My eyes wet now with tears opened up and starred into his. The fire came over me burning right into the core of me instantly. There was nothing more that I wanted then Damon Salvatore. Right there in his arms I wanted him to touch every single part of me.

"Please" he whimpered once more to me.

I had to succumb to the truth that had been killing me for months. Damon Salvatore had to know that , "when I look into your eyes my body catches on fire. It's not a burn that is painful but a burn of yearning. Every time I look into your eyes I am overtaken by this incredible burning to be near you. To touch you. To love you forever and never let you go. I am instantly weakened by my love for you. I can not control my emotions when I look into your eyes. I can not control the yearning for you to kiss me. To touch me. To feel you on me. I'm so in love with you Damon I don't know what to do with myself sometimes and looking into your eyes the way I am right now and feeling the way I do right now I could lose myself and I wouldn't care." In that moment I was silenced by his kiss.

At first it was gentle as if he was finally realizing how much I loved him and then it grew and began to smolder. His hands freed mine and found their way to my hips, up my back and in my hair. There he griped his fingers into my hair winding them into his. One hand slowly relaxing my hair and making its way to the bottom of my top. His hands gently slid underneath. My hands found his back and tightly griped at every muscle. He lifted my shirt and his mouth found my neck and for the first time I gasped for air as if I had been under water for years and was finally able to breathe. The panting increased as he found my breast.

The next moment Damon had ripped off my pants and his clothes as well. He lifted me up into his arms and laid me onto the rug where he hovered above me kissing every part of me gently as if I were silk and tasting every part of me as if I were wine. Then finally he found his way inside of me. In this moment I could have died and would not have cared less. Stefan could have walked into this room saw us and left heartbroken and I could not care less. Whatever we needed protection from, the big bad wolf could have walked in the room and I would not care less. All I cared about was Damon Salvatore and I couldn't get enough of him as he thrusted inside me.


	4. Chapter 4: Stefan

Days later Stefan returned with Lexi in toe. To my surprise she was tall, blond, beautiful and the sweetest girl. Not at all like the vampires I had come into contact with in the past. Immediately after Damon and I had sex we pretended nothing had happened. We actually went on doing research and only calling upon each other if we had something important to say and kept those conversations light and airy. I avoided his eyes and he avoided mine knowing exactly what could happen to me. It wasn't that I didn't want to take advantage of this time alone with him it was just that once it was over and I went back to my room the guilt of it all drowned me and it was drowning him too. I also think he realized that no matter how much I wanted him and loved him back I still loved Stefan and he wasn't ok with that. Loving again was not ok with him. And loving again a girl who loves his brother as well, he wasn't ok with that either. I didn't blame him. I understood and that is why I kept my distance. I couldn't give my heart entirely to him until I figured out what was between Stefan and I anyway. It wasn't fair to him and like I said the guilt was wearing thick upon me.

Lexi obviously being a girl knew something was up with me when I kept my words to the boys short and civil. She knew something was up watching me as I avoided looking at either of them or touching them. I was a girl who just confessed my love for them both and she knew this because Stefan told her. He also told her he was in love with me and he knew Damon was in love with me as well. She should have stormed in here and chewed my head off. Beat me to a pulp but the moment she walked in touched my hands she knew I was not Katherine.

Stefan on the other hand took my reservation toward him and Damon as normal because the triangle had finally been revealed and was out in the open. It was part of the mystery and now that we were getting closer to the truth this revelation was something that needed to be out there. Regardless of who was going to get hurt.

Lexi staying in another room usually ended up in mine helping me research and chatting to me about what she knew about Katherine which ended up being not that much but she did bring some good books that I was going through trying to get any ounce of info that I could on Katherine and on the Petrova bloodline in general.

"Knock knock" a voice called out to me from the door. It was Lexi.

I smiled politely and waved her in. I actually needed a break.

She walked to my bed where I had the books she brought me laid out with a notepad full of notes. "Anything new"? She asked scanning over everything.

"Nope. Same old same old information. Nothing and I'm growing tired of this game. And I feel like that is what this is, a game? I mean who sends a new vampire out to protect two vamps much older than her and that are guys. I mean really what is she asking me to do because I don't think protecting them was the truth behind this game she is playing".

Lexi looked perplexed. The front door shut and her attention went to the fact the boys were leaving.

"No goodbyes" She whispered. "How rude".

I laughed at how offended she got. I was used to us all running in and out all of the time no one ever greeted anyone anymore.

"So they're taking a day trip I'm guessing?" I knew they were. I could hear them easily talking upstairs in Stefan's room.

"Yeah. They think this guy Alaric who was married to Isobel might have some information. Guess they looked up Isobel and she was married once." She looked at me. She knew exactly what I was thinking.

"Do they think he could be my dad?" I swallowed hard.

"I'm sorry Elena, I don't think so. It said they were married a year after you were born. Unless of course they decided together to give you up but you have no real adoption papers. Just fake birth certificates that the Gilbert's had created."

I didn't even know this stuff. Wow Damon and Stefan were keeping things from me.

I wanted to cry, "They didn't tell me about this stuff."

"Oh I'm sorry. Me neither. I was going through Stefan's research and I found it. Maybe he was waiting until the right time".

I interrupted, "or just being Stefan sparing my feelings trying to protect me. Yep that is Stefan alright. Just like him".

Lexi seemed offended, "don't take that as a bad thing Elena. He cares about you deeply. Just like he cared about Katherine and really I have been meaning to talk to you about this".

I quickly objected, "um no we don't need to talk about them. Not right now."

She quickly interrupted me "no we do and now is the perfect time they are both gone. No crazy inhuman super Vampire hearing to hear everything we say." She looked at me kinder. Empathizing with me I believe. "Look Elena, I get it. You love them both. But something inside of you cares for one more than the other and then there is something inside of you that is too selfish to make a choice. Katherine was the same way. She loved both dearly. Damon will have you believe she never loved him but she did. Too much at times. But there was a stronger connection to Stefan. One she couldn't deny nor one that she didn't want to live without."

"But she kept leaving them. using them to get information about the founding families."

"The second time Kat came back I warned Stefan to leave her alone. I knew Kat back in 1864. She introduced me to Stefan. He and I quickly became friends. She always told me in a nice lady like way to keep my paws off him so I did. She staked her claim and it wasn't as if all he didn't do was chat me up talking about Kat anyway. But she was older, stronger. I was afraid of her. She knew people. Powerful people and I didn't want to get on her bad side so I stayed friends and nothing more with Stefan. When she left them they were heartbroken. They spent years hating each other and in their heartache only had each other to lean on in it. For decades they wondered where she had gone. Finally in the early eighties the boys moved up to New York where I was staying. And for awhile there Stefan and I were happy. Damon was tolerable but I had my friend back again. Then Kat hunted us down protesting her undying love for them and need to be back in Mystic Falls with them so they gave in like they always do and left".

I took a deep breath in. The power she had over them. "Just like that?" I asked.

She smiled and snapped her fingers, "just like that". She smiled again "you have the same power Elena. Difference is you are so different then her. You are kinder and your heart is gentle and cautious. She wasn't. She loved them both and that I cant deny but she loved herself more and whatever she could gain by loving them she gained selfishly. Finally when she chose Stefan over Damon I felt horrible for Damon. I couldn't understand why she chose Stefan? I was never romantically involved with them like that so I guess I'll never know why. Maybe you can tell me when you finally decide why and how you chose."

I looked at her as if she were insane. When I choose?

"You are gonna have to choose Elena and when you do the other one will get hurt. I just ask that if you chose Damon, I mean if you feel more for Damon now then please don't lead Stefan on no matter how much you love him. I know its hard and the connection you have with Stefan is strong. But one connection has to be stronger. I cant even begin to understand where your mind and heart is. I cant understand this Petrova blood bond thing you have with Kat and them. I just don't want Stefan hurt again".

I whispered with as much conviction as possible so she would get the point, "I don't want to hurt Stefan Lexi. I love him and the last thing I want to do is hurt either one of them".

"I know" she interjected. "But you will have to hurt one of them. I don't want to see Damon hurt even though he drives me nuts but to see Stefan the way he was when Kat left him for the second time. Well I just cant bear it. It was bad. His heart was brutally broken. Stefan is gentle. He loves without thinking and gives his heart easily. He was not his mothers favorite. Damon was. His father favored him more. This is why Damon and Stefan bump heads. They are both jealous of the relationships they wanted but the other had. Stefan felt love for his mother but Damon and her were like two peas in a pod. Joking and laughing with each other. Had secret games they would play. It made Stefan feel left out. He needed his mothers attention and he never got it. His dad was tough on him. He pushed Stefan and wanted everything he never achieved Stefan wanted the respect his dad gave Stefan. Like he was good enough as well. Damon felt his dad never saw the potential in him that he saw in Stefan. Like he wasn't strong enough. Plus Damon's dad called him a mamas boy and softy." She chuckled, "Yeah Damon a softy. Right." She rolled her eyes. I smiled at how insane that sounded. Damon soft?

"But he was Elena. Damon was soft and Stefan was hard. After their mom died you know Stefan was twelve Damon was fourteen. They were both devastated. Damon went through the emotions but their father never allowed Stefan to cry about it. He was to hide it and be a man. He felt abandoned by his mom and after he fell in love with Kat and her leaving him twice he felt abandoned again. His love was never good enough. This is how he will feel. Like every woman he has given his heart to has never wanted it and given it back."

I was confused. "How was Damon hard now and Stefan soft?" I asked.

"Stefan and Damon had Katherine's blood in them the night they died trying to save her from the Vampire witch hunt the founding families had conjured up. I was long gone by this time. Katherine being arrogant made a deal with a Gilbert and got her friends caught so she could walk away. They were killed and everyone knew she betrayed them so she went into hiding for years. But that night they both died trying to save her. They were shot by the hunters and left in a nearby field to rot. Later the next morning they woke up. Stefan first. He had a pretty young girl with him. Damon asked what he was doing with her and Stefan explained to him what happened and who they were now. Damon chose death, Elena over being a Vampire and killing the girl. Stefan had drank her friend already and had made the change fully. Damon refused to kill the girl. He wasn't a murderer let alone did he want to be a vampire. But Stefan gave him some long speech about how he couldn't live forever without his brother. Guilt tripped him basically and Damon being the older brother gave in not wanting this life for himself. Later Stefan revealed that he just didn't want to be alone and he was being selfish. For years they didn't talk. Stefan went out and drank the blood of many innocent people and Damon he found other ways to get the blood he needed. Years passed and Stefan had changed. He met someone again who restored his humanity."

"Who?" I blurted out.

She smiled, "Me. After that he found Damon apologized and Damon still never fully forgave him but accepted his proposal to move back to Mystic and have their companionship. I visited often throughout the years. Got really close to Stefan. He is my best friend. But Damon resentful about being a vampire, resentful about his father, bitter and heartbroken about Kat, he turned dark inside. Stefan blames himself and yes he is to blame in parts but he has asked time after time for his forgiveness. So the roles were switched. Stefan became the gentle sweet vampire from a hard selfish human and Damon became the dark twisted vampire from the sweet gentle boy."

I sat there drowning in her story taking each word in. I was thankful for her friendship at that moment. She made me understand them both more. Know them better. I was in love with two vampires whom I realized I knew nothing really about. I scratched the surface but never itched the itch.

She retired for the night just shortly after her story. We had been talking for hours and didn't realize the time. The guys would be home soon. I laid on my bed envisioning an evil Stefan. It was hard to do. He was just so sweet and harmless. He was always there for me and his friendship was my sanity in all of this mess. He sheltered me from things he thought would hurt me and although it was annoying I knew he had my best interest at heart. I thought about his heartache and the changes he had made in his life. Even the risks he took for love.

All of this made me adore and love him even more. More than Damon? No. But equal? Maybe I wasn't sure but I was quickly forced to figure it out. The front door opened. Only one pair of footsteps. I could smell him and knew by the sound of his feet on the floor that it was Stefan. He knocked on my door and I called him in.

"Where is Damon" I asked.

"He is staying out there until tomorrow. Alaric has lots of information Elena. I think we might be onto something. We decided one of us should come back to you know keep you guys safe and all so I volunteered. Damon was having too much fun digging up Kat's dirt."

I smiled at him. "So you are home."

He walked to me with his arms open asking for a hug I didn't want to give. But I couldn't have him think I was disappointed that it was him that was home. It wasn't the case. So I hugged him and I was electrocuted over and over again. It did not hurt it was just intense and a desire came over me that never had before. I could quickly turn it off with Stefan. Move away, not touch him. But in this embrace and it was a long one for a vampire I just didn't want to let him go. Everything that Lexi said all of the heartache I wanted to mend him. How? I had no idea but I wanted to hold onto him and give him whatever he wanted. A kiss, myself.

Still touching he pulled away so he could see my face. He smiled at me moving the hair from my face. We were so close and the electricity was so intense I could scream. His eyes moved from mine down to my lips and then his lips found mine. Our lips moved with each other in a dance to a song of our own. It was sweet and passionate. But there was something screaming at me and I couldn't figure out what it was. I thought about Damon. Nope still didn't want to stop. Katherine nope. Why could I not give in fully to him and my desire to give him exactly what his body was telling me he wanted. Lexi. She was upstairs witnessing this all by herself. I couldn't do that to her. Not like this. So as quickly as it started it ended. I pushed him away quickly.

He apologized, "I'm so sorry Elena. I shouldn't have done that".

"It's ok". I snapped back. How could he apologize for that. I was at fault.

"I just love you so much. I know I shouldn't be doing this and I feel bad about Damon. I just love you and I cant fight it anymore. I just want to be with you." I interrupted him.

"Stefan Lexi is here can we talk about this later?"

He shook his head, "I don't care. She is my friend. She knows everything. I love you Elena and I know you love me". He wasn't giving up. He was back now holding onto my arms. I grew weak and feeble and gave in again. This time he kissed me more passionately lifting me up and carrying me to the bed. His lips moved down my chin to my neck where I sat there breathing in the sweetness of his kiss and the electricity it was pumping through my body. I felt I would explode and then I thought about Lexi who could hear this. His hand moved down my shirt and over my chest caressing me. I couldn't let this go any further. I pushed him off with all of my mite.

"Stop" I screamed as he hit the wall. He looked confused but wanting me to give in he started to walk back.

"No Stefan" I said holding my hand flat out to him to stop.

"But I love you". He wasn't going to give up.

I had to hurt him. I had to say the one thing that would make him stop because if he came and kissed me again I would have given him all of me but I knew I couldn't.

"I slept with Damon". I blurted out.

Something upstairs dropped and a loud thud echoed throughout the house. His advances finally ended and the electricity died.


	5. Chapter 5: Legands

Days passed by slowly. Researching was tiring and our home was cold and dark. The only light was Lexi who tried to make everyones life easier by being the mediater. Stefan was hurt by me and Damon but mostly angry at Damon. Damon was angry at Stefan for being angry at him for something he attempted to do but in his words "couldn't get it done" which wasn't his fault. He said they were guilty of the same thing he just succeeded which in return pissed me off but I knew he was being cold about it because he was angry with me for almost sleeping with Stefan or being capable of it. I was avoiding Stefan because I knew he couldn't look at me and him not looking at me made me feel guilty and ashamed. I was in need of therapy over things I couldn't even control in my mind, body, heart. I didn't understand it and if I could fix it I would have. I would have ran away if I knew they would let me. But even through all of this I knew they would protect me still and I would protect them as well.

One morning Lexi came to my room to talk. She was the only happy face around here so I took her presence happily.

"I have a question for you and I hope you will answer it". She explained looking at me with the most kind eyes.

"Of course Lexi what is it"?

She took a deep breath and asked, "Why wouldn't you sleep with Stefan that night? I heard you say that I was upstairs. I didn't mean to ease drop I just ovrheard. You know super hearing and all. So was it because of me or was it because you love Damon?"

I looked at her as if she were caught on fire. She knew the boys were in the house and could hear everything. The house suddenly got quieter and there was no movement while waiting for my answer. We were all frozen. Lexi pointed at my computer. Thank Goodness she didn't want me to answer that out loud.

I began to type _I do love Damon but no it wasn't because of him. I couldn't do that to you. You were upstairs and I knew you could hear everything_.

She took the keyboard and began to type_ but you love him. I mean why would you care if I was upstairs?_

I smiled gently. What was coming next she would not expect. _Lexi I know you love him and I love him too. I just couldn't do that to you with you here in the house. That is plain mean. I care about you but I have to be honest. I love Stefan too Lexi and I love Damon as well. I dont know what is going on with me or with my feelings for them but I cant promise you that I wont choose him in the end. I dont know and I'm sorry for that. More than you could ever know. I just dont know if in the end he or Damon would even want me._

I looked up at her face. It was still kind not hurt by what I wrote. She took over the keyboad again.

_I guess I'm that obvious._ She smiled._ Thank you for being honest with me. Although I hate the circumstance I understand and I really do wish nothing but happiness for you._

She got up leaned down kissed my forhead and walked out of the room. I could hear movemnt again through out the house.

A few hours later I felt really drained and needed some air. Since I got here I never really got to walk around the town so I decided to leave early today for my walk and instead of the woods I'd venture to the town to do some looking around. The town was small and quaint. It seemed like everyone knew each other waving and saying hello. They were all so innocent like children not knowing the evil that lurked around them. They would be terrified of me and I would never hurt them. The thought of myself being terrifying made me chuckle a little bit. I just wasn't that kind of girl. I mean I was a cheerleader in high school. Homecoming queen and all. I wasn't someone nightmare I was often some teenage boys dream. I missed my old life but it didn't feel the same without Damon or Stefan in it.

I found a small dive bar a bit away from the square. It seemed like a place for a vampire to get a drink. I walked into the bar and I saw him. I mean I could literally feel him pulling me towards him but I would not move. I had about two seconds to decide to go sit by him or walk out the door before he noticed me standing there. Wait no too late. He must have smelt me walking down the street. He sat there pretending not to see me holding a glass full of what seemed to be gin in his hand. His choice of drink. I walked over to him and sat next to him on the empty stool.

"Hello Damon". I muttered out looking ahead. The bar tender saw me and pratcically ran to take my order.

"What can I get you pretty lady"? The bar tender flirted.

I pointed to Damons drink, "what hes got please".

The bar tender mumbled something about mysterious men and poured me a glass and handed it to me.

"So, do you do this to every man you meet?"

"I do what to every man I meet?" I asked taking a sip.

"Make them fall for you. The guy practically skipped down here. That guy over in the corner was here before you waiting for his drink."

"Well you have your drink"? I replied sort of annoyed by this accusation of his.

"I compelled him to keep them coming". Of course he did. I rolled my eyes.

We sat in silence for a moment and then the courage came to me.

"Damon I'm actually glad I ran into you here today".

"Wait" he interupted. He took his sun glasses and fixed them in his hands to see behind him.

"What is it Damon?" I asked getting anxious.

He moved his glasses over so I could take a look. I looked at them and saw a young girl in the corner table by the window drinking a coke by herself. She couldn't be any more than eighteen years old. What was she doing in a bar?

"She has been starring at you since you walked in. I caught her eyeing me too earlier but she cant stop scouring at you."

I looked again. Yep she was scouring.

"So I'm gonna go ask her if she knows me". He got upset.

"Um no you're not" He grabbed my arm.

"Yes I am. I'm not scared and if she wants to sit there and throw dirty looks I want to know why."

Damon started to get up with me.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

He looked at me with those green eyes that I haven't looked into for weeks. Fire.

"What do you think? I'm going with you". He answered.

"Why. I dont need you"? I snapped back.

He held on to my arm tighter now, "Please dont make me saw it. You know why I wont let you go by yourself."

He wanted to play hero then I would play too, "No Damon I have no idea what you're talking about".

His eyes squinted. He was annoyed and I was glad. " Because I blah you ok. Lets go".

I chuckled and began to walk over. She immediately sat up and stiffended.

"Hi do I know you or something". I asked curiously but polietly.

"You dont know me but you know of me". She spoke back without fear.

"Um come again? I know of you?"

"You know my family. You know I'm a Bennett."

What the heck was she talking about. Damon must have clued in because he immediatly stiffended.

"A Bennett?" I questioned.

"She's a witch?" Damon blurted out.

"Ok well that is nice. So how do you know me?" I asked still annoyed by this lack of information.

"Katherine dont pretend to not know the Bennetts. You know us well".

"Katherine? I'm not Katherine." I explained.

"Yes you are" she fought back.

"No she's not" Damon shot back.

"I'm Elena Gilbert".

"What. GIlbert? I dont understand. You are Katherine Pierce. I'd know your face from anywhere."

I grunted this time annoyed, "Nope not Katherine but I heard she is my too many greats to say grandma."

She stood up. "We need to talk now outside."

Damon began to stand in front of me, "We are not going anhywhere witch."

She stood up to him "If you dont come with me you will regret it".

"How do we even know your really a witch". I asked her.

She pulled out a match from a book in her pocket. It lit up without hesitation.

"If you dont go outside this will be your hair Elena." She threatened.

"Ok better go. I'm too fond of your hair to allow her to catch it on fire." Damon started to follow her out of the bar. I was so curious not afraid of this witch. I wanted to know what she knew. She found an alley and lead us down it.

"Stop here. I have a protection spell around me. You physically can not cross here but it only protects me."

Damon held my hand "So that means you can do voodoo on us still. Note taken. What do you want witch"?

"Do you know what you are Elena?"

"No" I said shaking my head. "I mean I'm a vampire now because Katherine changed me".

She chuckled, "She is smart."

Damon answered "What do you mean?"

"You are a twin. A doppleganger."

What the hell did she just say? I felt like I should be offended or something.

"A what a what a?" Damon asked sarcasticlly.

"A doppleganger. A twin. Everyone has ingredients that make up who they are. No two ingredients are the same except in a twin. And I dont mean a real life twin. Even real twins born in the same womb have a different makeup. A doppleganger is a twin. You are made of the same" I interupted her.

"Cloth".

"Sort of. Doesn't mean you have the same heart. We clearly can see the differenc in yours and Katherines. From what I have heard in stories and have read she was a real"

Damon interupted, "witch but take away the W and add a B"

She smiled, "Yes and funny you say that. There is only one family who posses this power to create a doppleganger. A family of witches and warlocks. The Petrova family have had dopplegangers come and go throughout life protecting them or killing them to keep the secret safe. But few know about the Petrovas otherwise you all would be held into cells and forced to create a doppleganger."

"So you are telling me Katherine's family the Petrova's are witches?"

"Yes."

I quickly interupted "But Katherine is a vampire".

"Yes and only when a witch who posses the curse of being a vampire is created will a doppleganger be born. Not every witch can though. Create a doppleganger. None have been crazy enough to be changed into a vampire. The doppleganger curse was created to stop Vampires from running in the daylight freely without a Bennet to create them a ring." She looked at Damons hand.

"The Bennets are one of the first witch families. We fueded with the Petrova's for years. We found out they were going to try and take us down. They were powerful but not as powerful as us. They were ruled by power we were ruled by the gift. So we created a curse and placed it upon their family. Any witch who became a creature of the night could posses a power to break the vampire curse. Witches and vampires did not get along. The Petrovas knew that if vampires heard of this curse they would be after their family so quickly they would become extinct. So they ran into hiding. Until a young girl name Katherine decided she wanted what no Petrova could ever muster the courage to do, become a vampire."

"She wanted to create a doppleganger to what make vampires run free?" Damon asked confused.

"No she wanted the power over the Bennets to use the doppleganger as a bargin to break the curse. She didn't want this burden on her family anymore and she didn't want to live in hiding. So she rebelled became what her ancestors feared and took the chance and succeeded creating the doppleganger."

"So I can break a curse. A Vampire curse. We can roam in the daylight if I what?"

"You were never to break the curse Elena. She was gooing to use you and then kill you herself once the curse was lifted by a Bennet. We have died protecting that curse. Do you know how many times a Petrova has treid to make us break it? The only way is if the Doppleganger is sacraficed and killed. She changed you so you couldn't die easily. She changed you so she could bargin you and then kill you once her family was free."

I couldn't breathe. What a back stabbing evil selfish...

"What a bitch" Damon replied finishing my sentence. "She created Elena to use her and then kill her. I bet she sent you to us to keep you safe not the other way around. She knew her power over us and she knew that you would posses that same power. Explains the whole Fire and electricty."

"Those are witch things. But dont think that those gifts are nothing. They are real because you must be the one she is supposed to love. We only feel those things for the ONE". She kept explaining.

"But she feels electricty with my brother and fire with me so are we both the one because Katherine ended up choosing Stefan".

She smiled as if he was a very silly boy trying to figure out an easy riddle, "A vampire dies and then becomes a vampire. You still are you and you still posses your humanity in some way. The human you was supposed to end up with one and the vampire you will you end up with someone different. When you died and came back to life you created a new destiny of sorts for yourself. That is why you feel conflicted I'm guessing. I told you there are not too many witches that are Vamps for these very confusing reasons. They are two different legands, histories, powers rolled up into one. It's not meant to happen without there being kinks".

Damon frowned at this idea. He and I were both wondering who was my human love and my vampire love and which was stronger. I was betting that whomever I was destined to be with as a Vampire is the one I should choose the one Kat chose. Stefan. The human love would be weaker. It would be there inside of you because you have your humanity but you were not human anymore so it would have to be the weaker of the two. My head was spinning and starting to hurt.

"There was someone that Kat was scared of. Something that Isobel said killed her. Do you have any idea why she would rush to change Elena and then rush to get her to us? Was she in danger?" Damon asked.

The witch stopped to think, "I'm assuming somehow the original Vampires found out about the doppleganger. She must have rushed to change you and send you away to the Salvatore's for protection. But as far as her being dead. I don't believe it for a minute. Seems like a convenient strategy to cover wherever she is hiding until she knows its safe to take Elena and do the bargain with us. Once the spell is broken there is no reason to have another her running around. She is too selfish and self centered. Like I said I'm sure she plans to kill you."

Damon was angry, "Over my dead body. These originals are not touching her to break the curse and Kat if she is alive is not touching a hair on her head."

I smiled at how willing he was to protect me but it all sounds dangerous to me. These originals must be powerful because even Kat and Isobel were running for them. We had to go home and explain this to Lexi and Stefan.

"Is there anything else I need to know"? I asked her.

"Lets just make sure you understand this clearly because the last thing I want is either curse being lifted. You and Kat are twins. You have a bond stronger than anyone else in this world. The curse we placed on the Petrova is to create the doppleganger. Which they did not want the originals knowing about because they would kill every Petrova to find it to sacrifice it and lift their curse. Kat changed you to make you stronger more able to protect yourself. Keeping you human was too risky. She sent you to them for protection. But you have fallen in love with both of them because one is your human love and one is your vampire love. This is why you experience the electricity and fire. That is the witch in you which you must explore. You and I'm afraid to say this are one strong witch. Not as strong as us Bennett's but pretty strong if used right. Do not trust Kat she will use you to bargain with us to break the curse upon her insane family and we do not want that. The Petrova's are dangerous. Power driven people. look at Katherine. Once we lift the curse because we cant have vampires running around during the day she will kill you! The only way we can protect you, the doppleganger is if you kill Kat and the originals."

This all seemed impossible. I seemed doomed. "Thank you for your help. you didn't have to give it".

"I had to. Don't you understand I need you to be protected so that neither curse is lifted. I will do everything in my power to help you. I'm now going to have to be your guys ally not your enemy."

"Well we don't even know your name Bennett witch". Damon spit out the last word. Should I get offended since I technically was one too?

"I'm Bonnie. Bonnie Bennett and we have loads of work to do."

She stepped forward out of her protection spell.

"Lets go back to the house and tell Lexi and Stefan." We began to walk and she just stood there contemplating what to do. I knew it made her uncomfortable to run with vampires. I stopped and faced her, "Are you coming?" She shook her head and ran up to catch us.


	6. Chapter 6 Revelations

"I don't understand. So you are saying Katherine is alive?" Stefan's face lit up on the last word.

"Yes we think she lied to protect herself from the originals since they know about Elena they would be looking for her first. But lets not forget Steffy that dear Katherine wants Elena dead." Damon shot me a look.

Lexi began pacing the room. "I know how Katherine is. This sounds right up her alley. Pretending to be dead. Telling Elena she was dead so you guys thought she was as well. But Stefan I do have to say it sounds like Katherine to kill Elena once the curse is lifted."

Stefan shook his head in disbelief. He was still in love with her too. Maybe my choice wasn't going to be so hard after all. Maybe Stefan had already chosen who he would prefer. Maybe he would prefer me dead over her.

"Maybe not". He said walking over to the fireplace and looking into the flames. "Say she is alive guys. I wouldn't put it past her to be alive and lie about her death. But if Elena is her doppleganger, her twin it's not going to be easy to kill her. They have a bond stronger than anything we can understand."

Damon interrupted, "But she doesn't need Elena. What if Elena chooses you Stefan? Katherine already chose you? You think she is going to run around in a fairytale romance with her look alike that she sent to you for the soul purpose of protection not for you to want to be with for eternity. Think about it Stefan. Elena is a risk to her happiness. She is selfish. When has she ever done a selfless thing, ever!"

I was sitting quietly on the couch as they went back and forth about me as if I wasn't sitting right here.

"Would you let anything happen to Elena?" Damon snapped at Stefan.

"Of course not." Stefan shot back shocked at Damon's question.

"Could you kill Katherine if that meant protecting Elena"? Damon shot right back.

Stefan was quiet for a moment. I don't know if that was the fairest question although I wanted to know the answer.

I stood up and they all looked at me waiting for me to say something.

"I think we need to find Isobel. She is after all my mother. I want to know what she knows and what Katherine has told her about the doppleganger curse. I have a feeling Isobel lied to me to hide Katherine but I think she may be mislead by Katherine about what I am really going to be used for when Katherine comes to find me. I want to go to my room to lay down. Today was allot of information and too many revelations for me to take in. I need to think on my own for a few moments." I turned away from them and headed into my room. They didn't say a word and when I closed my door behind myself they began to talk.

I sat there in silence listening as Damon and Stefan went back and forth using this new information to try and one up the other. Who loves Elena more? And who would be willing to protect her at all cost? Lexi would chime in from time to time but she even got tired of the war and went to her room. It was usually hard to drown out other conversations in the house but tonight it was easy. After awhile my own thoughts became loud in my mind and all I could hear was the insecurities roaming wildly inside.

Would Stefan choose Katherine over me? Would I care if he did? Does he love me enough to protect me? Or will there be a war between brothers when it all came down to it? How could I ask him to kill Katherine and save me if I was supposed to be with Damon? Damon was over Katherine all together so I knew he had nothing to risk by protecting me but Stefan had so much. I hate this twin crap.

I needed to get away to just escape for awhile. I left my room quickly and rushed for the front door. Damon was the first to the door. He stood in front of me intense looking me in the eyes. I stared for a moment and looked away before the flames could take me.

"What Damon". I asked annoyed.

"Where are you going Elena"? He replied in a snarky tone.

"Outside Damon".

"Where outside Elena"?

"Damon I'm going to take a walk." He stood there staring at me as if I was as fragile as glass. I glance behind me Stefan was starring at our interaction.

Frustrated at the spectacle he was making I spoke "Look I really need to get out of here. Please move".

Damon moved out of the way allowing me to open the door and slide through. It was clear outside and immediately I looked up at the stars and inhaled the fresh air. It felt good in my mouth. Damon stood next to me. What did he want now? I stood starring at him as if he was a freak show until he spoke.

"What you think I'm going to let you out alone. No way. You want to get away for awhile let me take you somewhere." I couldn't say no. I didn't want to say no. I hadn't been alone with him in weeks. I missed him. I shook my shoulder and he walked me to his car.

The drive there wasn't very long it was just windy deep through the forest to a part I had never been before. He grabbed some flashlights from the trunk and held his hand out for me to hold. I did and it was so nice to touch him without it being evaluated and examined by everyone trying to figure out the meaning of such an easy gesture.

"Where are we"? I asked as I followed him into the dark forest.

"We are at a place I used to come to when I was a boy. Stefan and I have kept it up never letting anyone buy the land. You needed to escape I needed to escape so I thought here would be the perfect place." He took his flashlight and shone it forward. I could make out a tiny cabin across the pond. It was quaint and quiet. Peaceful looking.

"Will Stefan worry if we don't come back tonight"? I asked stating to feel a bit guilty for wanting this more than anything else tonight.

"If he does then he is an idiot. Your with me. You are fine. Watch your step" he said as he lead me up the stairs and into the cabin. He started lighting little lanterns as he walked through the place. It was clean and smelled fresh. There were fresh flowers on the table and a cute little sofa in the living room. I saw a small hallway leading to obviously a bathroom and bedroom. Damon disappeared down it. I saw light come from one of the doors and decided to enter. We were alone and I wanted to be near him.

He sat on the bed contemplating something. I walked over sat next to him.

"What's wrong"? I asked puzzled.

He looked up and smiled that boyish grin, "One bed. I could probably fit on that sofa but".

I cut him off mid sentence and looked into his eyes. They smoldered. Fire. I was engulfed with flames. Passion swirled all over me as if drowning me in Damon. He felt it too because the next thing I knew his lips were crushed on mine. His soft lips and sweet tongue caressing mine. It was intoxicating. I felt like I was under the influence of something so powerful. His hands were on my body touching every part of me as if he memorized every curve and dip of my body. He found his way to my top where he pulled it off gently. No ripping clothes this time. It was different. His mouth made its way down my neck and to my breast where he stayed for a moment. His hands moved to my pants, where he began unbuttoning and pulling down the zipper. My hands were exploring going up his back and pulling his t-shirt over his head. My fingers traced the contours of his back and making their way to his chest and down to his pants pulling them off in one swift pull. His hip bones popped out of his white boxer briefs that hugged his body nicely. I traced my finger over them and he exhaled in pleasure.

Damon then pulled my pants down along with my underwear and along with his. We sat there for a moment on my back and him hovering over me our naked bodies on fire for each other and he looked into my eyes with so much feeling and passion.

He whispered to me "I love you Elena" and entered me and I knew I was home. I knew this is where I belonged and I knew that I didn't want to be anywhere else but here with Damon forever with him. I thought I could avoid him. I thought I could put what happened between us that night in the back of my mind to focus on what it was I felt for Stefan but in this moment I knew that what I felt for Stefan was love but it wasn't this love. The love I needed. The love I hungered for and lived for everyday. The love Damon was offering to me tonight and every day since the moment he saw me in that Grill. His love. The undying selfless love that he provided to me without flaws without an agenda. It was pure and more real than anything I have ever felt in my entire life. He was who I was destined to be with now that I was a vampire. I knew it he may even have felt it but Stefan would have to find out and I still didn't know how this was going to happen or play out. But for now I just laid in the arms of the man that I couldn't live without and basked in the delight of our bodies intertwined in a dance that only we knew the steps to.


	7. Chapter 7: Strength

The next morning I woke up to a buzzing sound. My phone was going off but I just laid there in bliss high off the night before. The sun was creeping into the room . I loved the sun, to feel it's warmth. I was thankful to Katherine for one thing and that was my daylight ring. How she got a Bennett to make it for her I don't know? I knew how she used and abused the Bennett witch from 1864. She had her make Damon, Stefan and her one as well as a few other vampires she wanted close by her. Knowing Bonnie now I felt bad for that witch.

Ugh stupid buzzing was interrupting my thoughts. I grabbed the phone to shut off the buzzing alert sound when I noticed I had an urgent voice mail and twenty missed calls from Stefan, Lexie and Bonnie. Damon laid in the bed sound asleep. I didn't want to wake him until I heard what was going on.

So I called my voice mail and the first voice I heard was a panicked Stefan:

"Elena it's Stefan. Bonnie saw Katherine here in Mystic today. We have no idea where she is but I'm sure she is here for you. Damon can not protect you alone from Katherine. You guys need to come home. And I'm so sorry Elena for everything these past few days. I'm really worried about you. I just want you to come home safely and I love you. Please come home quickly". I closed the phone and jumped up off the bed. Damon woke up.

"What's wrong Elena"? Damon grunted with sleep still in his eyes.

I began to put my clothes on. "We need to get out of here like five minutes ago. Stefan left me a message and we got like a hundred missed calls from them. Bonnie saw Katherine today and if she goes looking for me at the Mansion and hears I'm not there".

Damon shot up in one motion, "She will come here. She knows of this place".

"Yeah that was my next question and the answer I was afraid of."

We began putting on our clothes very quickly. Didn't take us more than a minute to have the conversation and get dressed. Finally when we were ready we walked out into the living room and were knocked completely off our feet. And not by force but by a particular twin of mine sitting on our sofa for how long? I have no clue but she made herself at home with her shoes off and a bag of blood in her mouth strengthening her, getting her ready for a fight!

"Well hello Elena. Damon. I guess you chose which brother you wanted? Or are you like me Elena, having a little fun with both. Cant say I'd blame you Damon was really good in bed".

I began to growl low under my breath but Damon stood in front of me.

"Always the protector Damon. Protect should be your middle name. You are so annoyingly good at it".

"What the hell do you want Katherine? And didn't you know it's not polite to enter when you were not invited in?" Damon questioned angry but yet still keeping his cool.

"I was invited in years ago. I don't need an invitation anymore". Katherine snapped back.

Damon began to chuckle and then he sneered at her, "but Katherine darling you are not wanted here anymore. All vampire rules aside just because you can enter doesn't mean anyone wants you to come in."

She scoured at Damon. "I'm here for Elena".

"Over my dead body Kat." He shouted.

She got up and slyly moved her hips in a hypnotizing motion as she maneuvered around the table with the flowers on it. "I don't need your permission Damon. And that dead body of yours we can arrange it".

I had enough and moved next to Damon he caught my arm, "I'm not scared of you Katherine. I don't run like you."

"Feisty" she said as she snapped her fingers. "I like it." She grunted through her teeth and her lips scrunched. "You are like me Elena. You love the same boys, you look like me and you are feisty like me. Got to love that Petrova blood."

I sneered back "I'm a Gilbert Katherine". And right there things happened so quickly. Katherine came at me but Damon stepped in. She lifted him up and threw him at the cabin wall where he fell and got back so quickly to me. She then pushed him out of a window and into the pond. The next thing she was coming at me with a needle full of vervain. I don't know what came over me or what even happened next but the vervain was in her neck and she was on the floor. Damon shot back into the cabin and stepped on Katherine who was gurgling on the floor.

"What the hell Elena?" Damon asked starring dumb founded at Katherine on the ground.

"Damon we have to hurry. We need to get her back to the mansion. I will explain when we get there."

He picked Katherine up over his shoulders placed her in the truck of his car and we drove back to the mansion as fast as we could. On the way I called Stefan and he was getting the chamber prepared for our little guest. When we got there Stefan and Lexie met us outside. Bonnie was finishing up on a binding spell that would keep Katherine inside the chamber. She just needed a piece of Katherine's hair which Lexie was glad to grab a handful of for her.

By the time we entered the chamber underneath the mansion Bonnie was finished with the spell and Katherine was coming around. Bonnie grabbed some vervain and stuffed it in her mouth quickly. That made her start to gurgle all over again. This time foam and blood all over Stefan's clothes. It was really gross to see what vervain does to us because I had no clue. Stefan brought her inside as she began spitting the vervain out of her mouth. He stood there for a moment starring at her as we all yelled from the outside of the chamber for him to get out!

"Stefan please" I screamed and somehow he snapped out of whatever he was in and ran out of the chamber and closed the door as we quickly locked it. I stood there looking inside at Katherine on the floor in pain from the small window on the door with bars. She laid there in agony. Lexie grabbed Stefan's hand as he stood cold and frozen.

"Come on Stefan. I think the vervain Bonnie gave her will keep her out of it for a bit. She isn't going to come to for awhile". And neither was Stefan. Lexie dropped his hand in defeat. She and Bonnie walked up the stairs together. Damon waited for me at the bottom of the stairs as I stood there and starred at Stefan's sadness. I knew it was killing him to have her in there and it was killing him that this was their reunion and that I was mixed into it all. I felt awful for him. All I could do was lend him my hand. I waved Damon to go ahead of me and reluctantly he did but I think he understood what I had to do for Stefan in this moment.

I grabbed his hand and dragged us down to the floor where we sat hand in hand starring at my grandmothers new home.

Eventually Stefan snapped out of his trance and led me upstairs silently to an awaiting party who wanted answers. First it was Damon.

"How did you do it Elena? How did you over take Katherine?" He asked so curious he was still in shock.

"I don't know I just could feel my strength and so I did what I could do and it seemed to be enough" Bonnie began to try and hold back laughter.

"What the hell are you laughing at witch"? Damon scolded her. I shot him a nasty look that I don't think he comprehended. Damn it Damon. I was a witch!

"Don't you people listen to anything I tell you?" She looked at Damon and I. We stood there confused. "Obviously not, ok in the ally I told you guys that you Elena were very strong and that you were a witch and most importantly you are a doppelganger. Katherine's. I said you guys were practically the same." I gave her a quick look. "Not in personalities I mean but in looks, blood, strength! Ding ding? Is it coming to you yet?"

"I'm as strong as she is?" I asked confused.

"Yes that is obvious. I mean you kicked her but. But being that you share the same strength one is stronger than the other. And because you are her doppelganger for protection we put a twist into that spell. The doppelganger once changed into a vampire, because we always knew that it was a possibility would be stronger than most vampires especially your Twin. Pretty awesome huh?" She smiled pleased with herself.

Stefan stepped forward, "so your telling me that she can kick Katherine's butt and ours too even though we are older than her?"

Bonnie smiled and shook her head up and down.

"Awesome" Damon blurted out. "This is freaking awesome. Is she stronger than an original?"

Bonnie's smile faded, "maybe one. She couldn't take on more than one."

"So what you are saying is I have Katherine's strength plus a bit more?" I asked crossing the room and sitting on the couch next to Lexie who was taking this all in.

"Yep. And don't forget Elena your a witch too. So who knows how that could play into your strength".

The three of them Bonnie, Damon and Stefan began to talk amongst themselves about how amazing I was and how powerful and mighty I could be. Whose butt I could kick and how this will all play into everything. I just couldn't be as optimistic as they were. Something was hanging over my head.

I began to whisper to no one in particular but as soon as I began they all were silent, "I'm like a super freak. No wonder they all want me dead. Why I'm the key to break a curse. All my life I was just another pretty face in the crowd. A High school cheerleader oblivious to everything."

Lexie placed her hand upon mine for comfort. They all sat quietly and then we heard a scream. It was Katherine.


	8. Chapter 8: Get Ready

The plane ride to Texas was bumpy. I hated planes even as a human and being a vampire and less fragile didn't make it any easier to fly. Damon and I headed out on a red eye the next day gathering up all of the information Bonnie could find out during our spell bonding time. I wasn't very good at it and it literally drained me. It was the first time that since I turned I was tired. We ended up finding an address ad I felt the best way to approcah her would be at school. Stefan and Lexie stayed back with Bonnie to babysit Katherine. I needed to find Peyton and bring her back to Mystic where I could protect her fro the originals. They knew a dppelganger existed and it would be a matter of time before they went through the Petrova ancestory found Isobel and lead them to me or Peyton. They knew it was a Katherine doppelganger but they didn't know who in our family it was. I still had no idea how they found out but I would get that out of Katherine when we got back to Mystic with Peyton safe.

THe neighborhood she lived in was quiet and nice. A place you would want to raise children. There was no homeless or graffiti. There were not drug dealers on the corner or drive bys. It was still and perfect. A cookie cutterneighborhood where everyone knew your name and your buisness. The same type of place I grew up in. THe same type of place I missed and wanted Peyton to always have. A quiet life without stress or fear of old vampires trying to find you and drain your blood to lift a curse. We found her home. She would not be hard to find for them. She blazed down her street in her Honda Accord windows down music blaring out the window. She had no idea she was screaming, "notice me. I'm right here. Take me"!

We followed her to school. She got out of the car and that is when I decided to go and snatch her.

"Hi". I said getting out of the rental. She was climing into her back seat to get some books.

"Hello" she smiled back kindly but I knew she was hesitant to talk to me.

"I dont know quite how to say this to you without sounding crazy bgut I'm Elena and we need to talk."

She pulled her head out of her back seat and peered at me herr eys observing me.

"She told me you would be coming for me". She said in a calm voice.

Confused I asked, "who said I would come looking for you?"

She spit out the words, "our mom".

I smiled and pointed to the car. She walked to the back of her car opened up her trunk and took a over night bag out. She walked over to me opened the door and climed in the bck seat. I sat there in awe for a moment. I thought I would ahve to force her in the car. Isobel did care about her. If not me then I hoped at least her. I got in the car and she was already chatting to Damon.

"Hey you are Damon Salvatore right?" He nodded and grinned. She began to do a flirty little giggle. "Isobel told me all about you and how you turned her. Wicked!"

Damon grinned back and repeated, "yep wicked" in his I'm trying to be cool for the teenager voice. I couldn't help but to roll my eyes.

"So sis are we going to Mystic Falls then?" She asked casually as if she had known me all her life.

"Peyton we have so much to discuss. Dont you want to know anyhing"? I asked a bit baffled at how nonchalant her behavior was considering she was in the company of vampires and taking her from the only home she ever knew.

"Isobel has been visiting me since I was little. That was one of the requirements. Anyway she compels my parenjts all of the time. I know all about you. She has given me pictures and the last time I saw her she told me you would finally be coming for me. To protect me".

Isobel came and saw her? Wow what was I? The other unwanted daughter? A Gilbert. I guess we cant all be Lockwoods.

"Yes I am here to protect you. But do you know from what?"

She shrugged her shoulders in an almost "I dont care" way.

"THe oldest vampires that exist. They are very powerful. They are looking for a Doppelganger".

She interuoted, "yeah a twin of granny Katherine's right? Yeah you look just like her. A dead ringer".

I dont know why this annoyed me even though it was obviously the truth.

"Yes I am the doppelganger but they dont know that yet and they will be coming to look for Petrova's and when they found you they would kill you being you are half witch and half wolf after realizing you didn't look like Katherine."

"They sound really mean" she replied.

Was she mocking me? "Of course they are mean. They want the curse broken. They want all vampires to roam during the day. Do you know what would happen if Vampires could all roam during the day? Let's just say humans would be enslaved and this world wouldn't be theirs anymore. It wouldn't be yours."

"Well I was thinking of braking the curse. It states that I have to kill someone. So I thought I should find a murderer or something to kill to trigger it. If I'm a wolf I can help."

I alsmot jumped on her from the front seat, "NO"! I shouted.

Damon immediately jumped in, "Elena calm down. She 's just a kid. She has no idea what she is saying."

"Yes I do Damo! I want to be a damn wolf. i want to help out and I'm only a few years younger. I'm sixteen you know. How old are you Damo nineteen?"

He laughed, "Old enough to be your grandpa and add about four greats to that".

She rolled her eyes, "Like I said ninteen".

"Look Peyton a wolfs transsion is not easy. It is hard and risky. Even in wolf form you wouldn't be able to control yourself anf if you bit me lets say I'd die. You are not ready for that yet."

She huffed, "well you're a vampire. Why cnt I be a wolf?"

"I never chose this life for me Peyton it was given to me. Now yo being a wolf is over. No more talk f it."

She grinned angerly, "fine Isobel". She blurted out. She was trying to hurt me and it wouldn't work.

Damon looked at me and smiled, "She wants to help Elena. That it. Not saying she should but dont be so drill sargent on her or she wont trust you."

I shook my head ok and was silent on the plane ride homw. I was too angry at the idea of her not having a normal life. I wanted it so badly for her.

Damon looked at me and smiled, "She wants to help Elena. Thats it. Not saying she should but dont be so drill sargent on her or she wont trust you."

I shook my head ok and was silent on the plane ride home I was too angry at the idea of her not having a normal life. I wanted it so badly for her.

When we got to the mansion she met Stefan, Lexie and Bonnie. We showed her to her room which was right beside mine. Everybody just adored her. She was snarky, sarcastic but very funny and she had jokes coming left and right. I talked to Bonnie about her being a werewolf and a witch and how if there was anyway to not trigger the curse and if so limit her transformations. Maybe even a way to cure her from a full moon. I was scared she would get in a car crash or run someone over. People go their entire life without killing someone so could she? Bonnie and I tried to dig up as much as we knew while Peyton, Bonnie and I worked on our witch side. It was very hard to concentrate because as a vampire you can juggle a million things in your head and doing spells you had to concentrate on this one thing. Peyton picked up things better than I did.

Stefan was also getting better about having Katherine here and having to lock her up. He was opening up to Lexie which was good because he wouldn't open up to me. I think he feared what may come out of his mouth and it was things he didn't want to hear because he still loved me. But a part of me felt the connection or the electricity slipping farther away. It was there but I could only feel it at a distance now. It used to be he walked in a room and I would be drawn to him. Just like Damon but now that Damon and I were spending more time alone together the feelings were getting stronger. And as my heart grew more and more for Damon it was filled less with Stefan. Lexie on the other hand was diving right in head first. She told him her real reason for being here at first. And it was just to win him and then she fell in love with me and she told him she would do anything for me. He was taken back by her confession but he needed her and she agreed to just be his friend until everything was over.

Damon was great with Peyton. They were snarky to each other and it made my life easier knowing he got along with her. Damon and I would spend quiet time at night taking walks or meeting at his cabin in the woods even occasionally the tomb. Nights with Damon were never enough. We could spend all night making love and not even realize the time that had flown by. Our thirst for each others bodies was stronger than our thirst for the blood. When it was he and I we didn't need anything else. All we wanted was for the moment to last longer but time always drew me away from him and back to the original issue at hand and that was how were we going to kill the originals.

Our research was limited and no one could get a hold of Isobel. And we thought all hope was lost until we received a visit one day from a Vampire named Amber. Whom wanted Gus the oldest vampire alive dead as much as we did.

Damon peered at her from the fireplace sinking his eyes into her trying to intimidate her but it wasn't working. She was fierce and she was angry and she wanted revenge. There was nothing this group of vampires could do to her what Gus already had done. Amber was a tiny vampire. She was five foot two long black hair and she had tiny green eyes. She was from Europe and had a Spanish accent.

"I did not come here to cause any trouble for you guys." She confessed.

"Then why are you here and how are you here?" Damon questioned not truly buying how genuine she was coming off.

She swallowed and I felt she did not want to tell but she knew she had to, "Isobel came to me. She is an old friend of mine and she told me Elena might be in some trouble. I have heard of Katerina. I know she is a force to be reckoned with". She pointed at Damon and Stefan. "Isobel told me where ever you two would be Elena would be. She feared Katerina would kill Elena. I told her that if the originals found out about Elena she would be sacrificed easily and she said they know a doppelganger exist and exists because of Katerina. I guess Katerina has a BIG mouth. She loves to talk about herself and well it seems she bragged to a few wrong vampires because word got back to them quickly and that is why she had to change you so fast and sent you to them. One thing Katerina does do is keep you brothers secret. One thing is for sure no one knows that you guys are connected. I have heard many rumors about her but none involving the two of you."

Damon laughed, "well that's a first. Cant keep her legs closed around us but she can keep her mouth closed about us".

Stefan laughed. The first time I had seen him smile in weeks. It was contagious. I began to smile too.

"Well a lady she has never been but I guess love makes you that way. Never believed she could someone." Stefan quickly interrupted her. He didn't want to go down memory lane about it.

"So what can you do for us"? He questioned.

She smiled. This time it was not warm or sweet. It was full of vengeance "Gus killed my family. He killed my husband and my sister. It was some time ago but I want him dead."

Lexie joined in, "Gus doesn't just kill for any reason. I have been around long enough to know that if he kills he has a reason for it. So Amber what was the reason"?

Amber's eyes filled with sadness. " I was one of many vampires whom he kept around for his enjoyment. I met him in Spain in 1640. He was invited to our home by my father. He liked what he saw and offered my father money to take me. My father accepted the transaction. He was a poor farmer and he had a son to think about. He gave him more than what my father thought I was worth. So Gus took me and turned me. I was afraid of him at first. He scared me because I knew he was not human and I was right when he bit me. Tricked me to drink his blood and then bit me. I lived with him as one of his many trophies when Eric joined his ranks in 1890. Sarah was another vampire he had collected over the years and she and I grew very close to be like sisters. I had been with him for over 250 years and she was there for about a hundred. I wanted out. Sarah wanted out. Eric was beautiful. He was loyal and he was smart. He and I worked allot together for various things and we just fell in love. I told him we wanted to go and he would do anything for me so he helped us. He then quit and came and found us. We hid out the three of us for almost a hundred years. It was 1990 and we lived in a cabin in Washington when we were tracked down and found. His whole regime came in along with the man himself. He told me he was not there to take us back but to make us suffer. First he killed Sarah and made me watch. Then he tortured Eric until he began begging for death and then killed him right in front of me. He then turned to me and said he couldn't kill me because he had loved me too much but that I was worthless to him now and he just enjoyed seeing me suffer. My suffering was satisfying enough for him and he left me with nothing. My husband dead and my sister gone I was all alone. I have spent the past twenty years trying to find a way to make him pay. I am not stronger than him but I have researched that the Doppelganger could be. So when Isobel told me knowing my back story and knowing I would be someone to help I knew I couldn't refuse this opportunity to do it."

Her story was sad. One of great loss. I couldn't turn her away and by the looks on my friends faces neither could they.

Damon walked to her and held out his hand, "I'm sorry for what he did. And we accept your help".

She shook his hand and smiled delighted to be part of something once more.

"Amber how do we find him"? Stefan asked.

"You don't". She said confidently. "He'll find you and you have to be ready when he does".


End file.
